Animal-trap.



I. P. scHucK-MAN.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAY I0. 1917. 1 255,?98 Patented Feb. 5,1918.

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7 6 6 Qwmwtozz SCHUCKMAN ANIMAL TRAP .APPLICATION FILED MAYIO, I917.

Patented Feb. 5,1918.

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.rotsn RsCi-IUCKMAn, oFwIcHIrA, Kansas] To all whom z'tmay concern; j x Be itknown thatI, JOHN P. SCHUCK MAN, acitizenof the United States-residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal- Traps; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled and use the same. i

in the art to which it appertains to make My lnvention has for its, object toprovide a simply constructedandinexpensive yet a highly efficientand durable. trap for all kinds of large and small animals, .the invention consisting in the numerous novel features .of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and iclaimcd, the descriptive matterbeingsupplemented by the accompanyingdrawings which constitute a part of this specification andinwhichz" i 1 i v Figure 1 is a perspective View of the im proved trap in set position; i

l i Fig. 2 is a horizontal section with one' end ofthe auxiliary cage. in elevation;

V vFig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section cut centrally through the main cage; a :Fig. 4 is a verticaltransverse'section of Fig. 5is a perspectivev-iew of theupper portion of the. trigger; a j Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section through the hinge ofone of the pivoted j aws;'

Fig. 7 is a detailxvertical transversesection cut through the registering passageways of the main and auxiliary cages, showlarly the dropwire therein. .1. i

.ingmore particularly the closures for said 40passageways;w

. Fig. Sis a detail longitudinal section of the auxiliary cageNshowing more particu- In the drawings above briefly described,

the numeral 1 has reference toa: cage which 1S by preference formed of. woven wire as shown,-one end of said cage being closed by X a pair ofinwardly converging aws 2 hingedly mounted on vertical, rods 3 and forced Stop hooks 4? are employed for limiting the when closed they will always assume the same relation. H

Each jaw '2 is constructed of a hinge bar. 2 prongs 2 and a spacing bar 2 for said prongs. The hinge'bar 2* 1s formed of a:

ANIMAL-TRAP.

I Specification of Letter s ratent.

hinge bars 3. the cage 1.

which the prongs 2* ing clenched on said prongs as shown.

Patented Feb. 5,1913.

Application filed May 10, 1917. Serial No. 167,778. i

strip of sheet metalbent-into channel shape with one of its side flanges? bent inwardl Y and forward with perforations through which the inner ends of the prongs 2" extend,each adjacent pair of said prongs being formedof a singlewire bent uponitself with itsbend orloop located between the flanges 2 and clamped in place by rivets 2 which pass through said i flanges and the loops.

said rods also being received n similar knuckles 3 formed on other which are secured rigidly :to

The-spacing 'bars'2 are constructed of sheet metal-strips with their edges bent laterally and formed with perforations through extend, said edgesbe- The bend of each bar2 isnotched to form [h nge knuckles 3 through which the hinge mods 3 pass,

,1 The jaws 2wmay yieldoutwardly as an animal forces into" the trap ibetween them,

butif such animal attempts to backout,

the prongs?! will prod his flesh and will prevent escape. There is thus no alternative andhe must enterthe trap. After, once in .the trap, the animal .willlnaturally attempt to escape, and in orderto. cause him toswervei away from theinner ends of the jaws-2 as he approaches them, a line vertical wire 5 is provided, the lower end of said wire being secured to thebottorh got the cage 1 while its upper end is attached to a spring 5? which depends fromthetop *ofsaidwcage. By this arrangement, there is no probability of the animal forcing the .tWo

jaws apart.

The end of the cage 1, opposite :the jaws .2 lie. formed with guides 6within which ver.

tically' sliding gate 1 7 is mounted, said gate a ."being connected by a chain orwthe 11ie 8:to ."the'outer end of a-longitudinallydlsposed :"level 9 which is located fabovethe cage 1 and -fulcrumed-between its ends at10=to astandard 11 rising from said. cage. The standard.

11 is preferably ofthe sheet metal construction shown, whereas thelever .9 w1ll1n rnost normally inwardbyappropriate springs. 50

inward swinging of both jaws 2 so" that cases be formedof asingle piece of wire bent into loop-shape with thesides ofithe J loopsecured to the edges f a block e through which thefulcrumlO passes. y

The end of the lever 9 remote fl'lQIllytl'lG end of an arm 15, said finger and arm being formed of a single piece of wire bent upon itself at the outer end of the former as shown clearly in Fig. 41-. At the lower end of the arm the two halves of the wire are bent to form a pair of coils 16 and 1'? and then depend. as shown at 18 and 19 to form resilient arms for securing a bait basket 20 to the trigger formed by the parts just described. The basket 20 is by preference formed of woven wire as shown and the arm 18 will be passed through the meshes thereof substantially as illustrated in Fig. 4, while the laterally bent end-21 of the arm 19 will be sprung intoengagement with the basket to support the latter.

The-coils 16 and 17 are received between a pair of upstanding ears 22 on a trans versely extending plate 23 which overlies the'cage 1, and a pivot pin 24 passes through said ears and coils to pivotally support the entire trigger for swinging longitudinally of the trap. The ends of the plate 23 are provided with extensions 25 cooperating with spring catches 26 carried by the sides of the cage 1. Each catch 26 is preferably formed of a single piece of wire bent upon itself to form an arch receiving one of the extensions 25, while the two halves of said wire are coiled at 27 to allow said arch to swing outwardly to release its respective extension when required. The ends of the wire are passed in and out through the mesh of the cage 1 and are preferably bent upwardl at 28 to anchor them. By the constructlon just described, the two catches 26 may be released and thus the entire plate 23 and'the trigger carried thereby may be removed for placing the bait in the basket 20. These parts may then be returned to their normal positions and held by the catches 26.

J In setting the trap, after first placing the bait in the basket 20 as described the lever 9'is positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to support the gate 7 in an elevated position,

the roller 13' being now hooked under the finger 14; whereby the parts are held in said position. An animal entering the trap beneath the gate 7 or between the jaws 2, will now attempt to devour the bait with the result that the entire trigger is tripped so that the gate 7 falls by gravity. The provision of the roller 13 makes the trap extremely sensitive as will be obvious.

As an additional inducement to the ani- I'nal'to enter the trap, an ear of corn or other suitable bait may be placed in an openwork container 29 and laid in the trap.

The use of this container, however, is op- 'tional.

. Preferably used in connection with the -p'arts above described, is an auxiliary cage 65' 30. 'secur'ed detachably to cage, 1 by I bolts 31, rods 32, and a hook 32*, thetwo cages having registering passageways each provided with a swinging closure 33, the closure of the auxiliary cage being pivoted on one of the I bolts 31, which bolts pass through the upper portion of saidcageand through the downturned ends of'metal strips 3st extending across the top thereof.

The animals caught in the cage 1 will enter cage 30 through the alined passageways and by means of a drop wire or the like 35 will be prevented from returning. The catch is removed from cage 30'by way of a hinged door 36 having a spring fastener'87.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be obvious that although the improved trap is of simple and inexpensive nature, it will be gate therefor, means for holding said gate open including a bait carrying trigger, a

plate. extending across the top of the cage and carrying said trigger, the endsof'said plate extending beyond the sides of the cage, and a pair of arched wire spring catches passing over said projecting ends for securing the plate detachably in place, the two legs of said arched catches being bent to form coils for retaining said catches inoperative position by spring tension and the portions of said legs below said coils being secured to the sidesof the cage.

2. In a' trap, the combination of a cage, a

gate therefor, means for holding said'gate open includinga trigger, said trigger having a pair of depending spring arms, one of which is provided with an outwardly extending projection, and a bait basket supported detachably by said arms and having means receiving said projection.

3. In a trap, the combination of a cage, a

gate therefor, a longitudinal lever connected 'withsaid gate for holding the samein open pos1tion,a trigger for cooperation with said lever, said trigger being formed of a single piece of wire bent substantially upon itself andhaving its bent portion extending lat erally to form a finger coacting with said lever, the portions oftlie wire immediately ad acent said finger-forming an arm carryng the same and said portions being twisted to form coils through which a pivot pin ex- ,tends,;{ .he free ends ofthe wire depending below said coils and forming spring arms, one of Wlllcll is bent outwardly at its extremity, and a bait basket supported by said formed with perforations, wire prongs passing through said perforations and having their inner ends received between the two side flanges of said hinge bar, rivets passing through said flanges for clamping said prongs in place, a second hinge bar having spaced knuckles, the bend of said first named hinge bar being notched to form additional knuckles, and a hinge rod passing through all of said knuckles. i

5. A trap comprising a main Cage having means for admitting the prey, an auxiliary cage adjacent said main cage, the two having registering passages to permit a trapped animal to enter the auxiliary cage from the other and said auxiliary cage having do means therein to prevent return of the animal, a plurality of metal strips extending transversely across the upper side of the auxiliary cage and having their ends bent downwardly into contactwith the sides of said cage, transverse I-bolts below the top of the auxiliary cage and passing through the bent ends of bolts being passed through the side of the main cage, vertical rods passing through said eyes to removably retain themin place,

a closure for the passage of the auxiliary cage, said closure being mounted pivotally on one of said I-bolts between the eye thereof and the adjacent bent end of one of said strips, and an additional closure for the passage of the main trap.

6. An animal trap comprising a cage hav ing a pair of inwardly converging outwardly yieldable jaws, and a wire extending across said cage at the inner ends of said jaws to cause an animal to swerve from said ends in attempting to escape from the trap.

7. In a trap, the combination of a cage, a

gate therefor, means for holding saidgate open including a trigger having a pair of substantially parallel spring arms extending aid strips, the eyes of said into said age, theterminal of one of said 3 arms being bent outwardly, and a bait basket supported by said arms and having means receiving said outwardly bent terminal.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses. j

JOHN P. SOHUGKMAN. Witnesses: WILLIAM KEITH, vL. J. Mnssmena.

V floplea 0! this patentmy be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

